Process of generating gas



' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet};

H. PRATT & J. J. RYAN.

PROCESS OF GENERATING GAS.

No. "297,162. Patented Apr. 22, 1884.

Q g 0 KB 0 o k 0 WITNE$SES: 'INVENTOR BY G ATTORNEY.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. PRATT & J. J. RYAN.

PROCESS OF GENERATING GAS.

Patented Apr. 22,1884,

INVBNTOR @7 3? ATTORNEY UNITED STATES rrren,

HENRY PRATT AND JOHN J. RYAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF GENERATING GAS. b

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,162, dated April22, 1884.

Application filed August 24, 1883.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY PRATT and JOHN J. RYAN, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofGook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processesof Generating Gas, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to an improved process of generating gas, as willbe fully hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is an elevation of the apparatus employed,'showing two furnaces providedwith suitable connections; Fig. 2, a vertical section of one of suchfurnaces, and Fig. 8 a view in detail.

Like letters refer to like parts in each view.

A A represent two furnaces, composed of any suitable number ofsheet-iron shells, and provided with any suitable lining formed offire-brick, tile, or the I like. Connection is formed between thesefurnaces by means of a pipe, B, which opens into each at a point below aperforated arch or fire-grate, O, with which each is provided. As willhereinafter appear, more than two of such furnaces may be employed, oronly one, in which latter case the one furnace would be divided into twoor more compartments, all having suitable pipesituated below and theother above the firegrate. Formed upon the top of each of the furnacesis a dome, D, covered by a hinged lid, 0, and into each of which istapped a gasoutlet pipe, E. Tapped into said domes, and at points belowthe gas-outlets, is a steam or water supply pipe, d, through which wateror steam is discharged upon the fire-bed on grate G. On one side of eachof the furnaces, and at a point near the top thereof, are formed throughthe fire-brick lining two ports, f f. Port fis horizontal, and f, whichis situated slightly below it, is curved and extends upward, so as tocommunicate therewith.

(X0 model.)

In the drawings, 9 represents a pipe, which is located in port f, abovereferred to, said pipe being provided with an opening, -h, and beingsecured at one end to flange 1 formed upon the end of a pipe, which, asshown,- is of larger diameter than the pipe 9, and protrudes out beyondthe shell of the furnace, the fiange i, above referred to, abuttingagainst the outer surface of said shell, and suitably secured, by screwsor otherwise, to the shell. Pipe j is provided with a screwthreadedextension, is, into which is tapped a pipe for supplying naphtha orother suitable volatile hydrocarbons.

Situated within pipe j, and extending through the shell of the furnaceto a point in pipe 9, is a steam-supply pipe, Z, the outer end of whichprotrudes beyond the outer end of pipe j, and is screw-threaded toreceive the extension of the steam-supply.

F, G, and H represent suitable doors for obtaining access to differentparts of the furnace, and m suitable arms for locking the same. Theoperation is as follows: The grate is supplied with fuel, which isignited, and air from any suitable blower is forced through theair-openings described until the fire reaches a sufficient degree ofheat to decompose the steam to be applied thereto, the gases arisingfrom the fire during this first step passing off through the dome D. Thevalves in the airsupply pipes are then shut off, the lids of domes Dlowered, and the gas-outlet in one furnace closed. Steam or water isthen discharged through the pipe (1 upon the fire-bed of the furnace, inwhich the gas-outlet is closed. As this steam or water is dischargedupon the fire-bed the upper part of the fuel superheats it, and itstemperature is gradually increased until it reaches the incandescentcarbon at the bottom of the bed, when a portion of the steam isdecomposed and forms the gasesviz.,carbonic oxide, carbonic acid, andhydrogen. All the water vapors not decomposed in this fire pass with thegases through pipe B to the next furnace, where they are passed throughthe second fire-bed, where the remaining undecomposed steam isdecomposed, and the carbonic acid takes on another atom of carbon andconverts the whole into carbonic oxide and hydrogen. If the gas is ICOdesired for illuminatingpurposes, steam is injected through pipe Z, andnaphtha or other volatile hydrocarbon through pipej, and the gases inthe furnace, rising, enter the ports f f, where they commingle with thissteam and naphtha, and are discharged again over the fire-bed, when theyare formed into a fixed illuminating-gas.

WVe are aware that it is not new in the manufacture of gas to causepartial combustion of carbonaceous materials to generate a heating-gas,then to cause complete combustion of such gas, and to heat toincandescence a second bed of carbonaceousmaterial by ad- I 5 mittingair to the gas in its passage to the and we do not claim any suchprocess; and,

further, we are aware of the existence of Let tcrs Patent Nos. 248,489and 263,499, issued to one J. Flannery, and disclaim all inventiontherein described.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new therein, andthat for which we desire to secure Letters Patent, is

The within-described process of manufacturing gas, which consists insuperheating and decomposing steam by passing it down throughincandescent or highly-heated fuel, then passing the resulting gasesthrough a second body of heated fuel for converting any containedcarbonic acid into carbonic oxide, then drawing the gases into aninjector and commingling them withvolatilehydrocarbons, and thendischarging themover the fire-bed.

In testimony whereof we affiX our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY PRATT. JOHN J. RYAN. Vitnesses:

M. J. CLAGELT, ADAM Gno. WHITE.

